A few days ago I got a call from my mom; she asked if I wanted to go pick citrus with a friend. You see our dear (and sweet) Mrs. C has this beautiful mini orchard in her yard and she had an over abundance this year. It's a common site in Arizona. In fact, many charities will collect your extra citrus and donate it to the hungry if you have
too much. Even the Boy Scouts of America will harvest your fruit for you as a service project. It helps them earn hours toward merit badges and reach goals. Citrus is a way of life here in Phoenix.
Isn't that stunning? The trees were just thriving and the aroma was absolutely amazing. It carried all the way to the street! I was more than happy to set a little time aside and "pluck" away. Fresh from the tree is nothing like purchasing from the store.
If you get the chance, I highly recommend it :) And you don't have to have a Mrs. C to get this experience. There are several farmers in AZ that let you harvest and buy. I have some great memories as a kid picking strawberries and grapes; it's a fun and productive activity the whole family can get into. To see a detailed list, visit
http://www.pickyourown.org/AZ.htm
We had a ball gathering some beautiful fruit; sweet oranges, lemons, white and pink grapefruit -- the low laying trees made easy work on a cold morning. I was feeling so grateful for the generosity of kind friends. After ten minutes we were done and I was excited and
impatient eager to sneak a taste. The oranges were so sweet and the peel was thin. It was like eating the specialty oranges from the produce aisle.
Afterward, Mrs. C invited us to join her for breakfast. She was cooking orange pancakes in the kitchen while we were gathering our small bounty.
Orange pancakes? I'd never heard of adding oranges to pancakes... that sounded amazing! She told us how her family had found some fun and creative ways to use the citrus that grew on her lovely property. It got me thinking. I love the mantra, "Use what you have" and "Less waste is more". Being frugal isn't just about buying for less, it's about being smart with what you have. There are some really great ideas to use citrus fruits, and when you have such a great harvest, it's wonderful to use it to the fullest.
When you're tired of eating oranges and grapefruit as they are, here are some simple tips on how to use your citrus before it goes to waste:
Add lemons to a pitcher of Tang:
Buying orange juice is a great thing, but sometimes it's not on sale. So I try the next best thing. Tang is powdered drink my family loves, but did you know that if you add sliced lemon to your pitcher or infuser it will give you a fresh squeezed taste? It looks pretty and smells great! Plus you get 100% of your daily vitamin C needs.
You can also do this with a pitcher of lemonade and orange slices! Try Wyler's or Kool-ade lemonade flavors, add a sliced orange to the prepared juice and serve cold. It's always a hit.
Other ideas:
Orange pancakes - prepare instant pancakes, add orange zest and fresh squeezed orange juice. Cook as directed.
Homemade Orange Julis - Add half vanilla ice cream, half fresh squeezed orange juice (if you don't have enough juice you can sub a mix of orange juice and Tang, or part juice and Sunny-D, etc).
Eat with Dairy - Stir into Greek yogurt, cottage or ricotta cheese. You can eat as is or with a bit of honey or sugar to sweeten as a nutritious snack.
Add to Salad - Peel, dice and add to your favorite salads. This goes great with kale, almonds and cranberries (think crasins).
Make Salsa - Add to salsa or make your own with other simple and money saving ingredients.
Do you have some great ideas for citrus recipes? I hear it's great in muffins and bread mixes too - I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
(Thank you Mom and Mrs. C. for your generosity and giving spirits!!)
